Author's Notes: Hey guys. This is the updated and edited version of 'A Separate Love.' I had started this story with my friend, Trouble last year, but now he moved away. I have taken the liberty to get another friend- who's name I shall leave anonymous- to edit this story, and finish it on my own. I hope you enjoy this fully finished, and corrected version of the story. My chapters are Gene chapters, and Trouble's are Finny chapters, unless stated otherwise. Thank you to all my readers who have been so patient with me and this story; I really appreciate it. Review, enjoy, and cheers! ~ Double

Prologue: The Summer of 1942; Gene's PoV

I move the narrow limb of the tree just a bit. Just a small amount. Not meaning to shake the limb, out of my peripheral vision, I see Finny start to lose his balance, his body starting to sway this way and that way. I see him start to fall off the limb.

"Finny!" I call out to him. I move quickly across the limb and catch his hand in mine. I almost lose my balance and tumble down with him. I use my other hand to hold on to the limb and regain my balance. I sit with each leg on either side of the thin limb and hold my other hand out to the startled Finny dangling below me. He takes my hand with haste and I start to pull him up onto the limb. I slide back farther on the limb and pull him with me, so he could sit on the limb in front of me. As soon as we get situated on the limb, I try to let go of his hands, but Finny just grips my hands tighter and restricts me from doing so.

I look at Finny surprised, and say, "Finny, are you ok?"

He speaks quieter than I had ever heard him speak in his entire life.

"Gene," he says. "You saved my life. I was about to fall to my death, and you saved my life."

'I wouldn't have had to save him if I hadn't shook the limb,' I think to myself. I am taken out of my train of thought by another body's warm, strong arms around me. I look in front of me and see Finny's face a few inches away from mine, his head laid on my chest. He is crying into my chest. I am shocked. I have never seen Finny cry before. We have been roommates for quite a long time now, and I have never seen him cry.

"Thank you for saving my life, Gene," Finny says in between sobs and hiccups.

For some reason, my arms naturally wrap around him, and my hands start rubbing his back to comfort him. He buries his face into my chest deeper. It takes me a few minutes to say anything to Finny, but I eventually manage to get a "you're welcome" to pass my lips. Finny doesn't answer me.

"Finny?" I say as I look down at him. His eyes are closed and he was fast asleep I feel a smile spread across my lips. The warmth of his body on mine is a glorious feeling. Is it strange that I actually wish that I could be this physically close to Finny all the time? Do I feel more than this feeling of friendship towards him? No, that's ridiculous. I couldn't possibly feel more than a strong friendship with him. Could I?